2006-10-18 20:59:54 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Movies
He was being "drawn and quartered". Here's a description from Wikipedia. I've put the link to the page I took it from under Sources below.
Details of the punishment
"Until 1870, the full punishment for [ treason ] was to be "hanged, drawn, and quartered" in that the convict would be:
1. Dragged on a hurdle (a wooden frame) to the place of execution.
2. Hanged by the neck, but removed before death (hanged).
3. Disemboweled, and the genitalia and entrails burned before the victim's eyes (drawn).[1]
4. Beheaded and the body divided into four parts (quartered)."
Here's also an excerpt from the Wikipedia page on William Wallace (link below under Sources). This excerpt describes his execution:
"On 23 August 1305, following the trial Wallace was removed from the courtroom, stripped naked and dragged at the heels of a horse to Smithfield Market. He was drawn and quartered: strangled by hanging but released near death, emasculated, eviscerated, beheaded, then divided into four parts (the four horrors) at the Elms in Smithfield. His head was placed on a pike atop London Bridge, which was later joined by the heads of his brother, John, and Sir Simon Fraser. His limbs were displayed, separately, in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Aberdeen."
2006-10-18 21:16:32 · answer #1 · answered by pollux 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hi! That's called "Drawing and Quartering." First they cut off the genitals, then the person was dragged in the arena from a wagon. The movie didn't show that cuz it was too sensitive a subject. Next, the victim was hung by the neck almost till death then stretched till bones separated, then brought back down. Then layed on a cross-like stucture on the ground.. then the victim had his intestines cut out and pulled on then thrown in the crowd, then other organs and then the heart. The head was cut off just before the person died. Gruesome torture! Afterwards, the head. arms, and legs were cut off to the crowd's delight and were perched on poles by the entrances of the city and the head on the London Bridge to show others not to go against the Government. It was done on Catholic martyrs for years under King Henry the 8th in England and other British areas. I read up on it as soon as I saw the incredibly wonderful film and listened to the dvd comentary. See ya!
2006-10-18 21:20:22 · answer #2 · answered by belladmma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Drawn and quartered, then beheaded.
Something utterly disgusting that I can't figure out if it was truth or not, but in the director commentary, Mel Gibson was saying that they filmed a very graphic version that was screentested and he was upset that didn't make the final cut. I can't imagine how anyone in a position like he is could be that sick to want to display that kind of thing. The film was disturbing enough as it was without adding the extra visuals that he wanted to there.
2006-10-19 00:36:34 · answer #3 · answered by Cinnamon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The above answers are correct. He was being "drawn and quartered." Executioners and the crowd seemed especially to enjoy showing a conscious person their own intestines. Way cruel. After touring the Tower of London, reading of Vlad the Impaler, the Christian martyrdoms in the Roman Empire, and the Catholic church's treatment of dissenters, it seems that western civilization has a far more cruel background than we commonly like to consider. It makes tribal customs like cannibalism or sacrificing a virgin to the volcano gods seem humane and wholesome by comparison.
2006-10-18 21:15:42 · answer #4 · answered by Nick â? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They hung, drawn, and quatered him then sent the pieces to the 4 corners of england to warn anyone that went against the king of england that is what would happen to them.
2006-10-18 22:58:59 · answer #5 · answered by nancy_habershon 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hanging, drawing and quartering.
As I understand it this involved semi-strangulation by hanging, then disembowelment, followed by tying each limb to four separate horses and sending them into different directions, thus tearing the body into quarters.
Doesn't "Civilization" come up with some lovely things?
Oh yes - if they did it properly, the victim didn't actually die until the last part.
2006-10-18 21:09:39 · answer #6 · answered by Sue 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Specifically, they were cutting him open and removing his intestines while he was still living. Hard way to go, man.
2006-10-18 21:07:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
they cut his head off coz he chose freedom rather than being free but a slave.
2006-10-18 21:10:28 · answer #8 · answered by james ian h 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What was called a "traitor's" death. Hung then drawn and quartered.
2006-10-18 21:03:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋